


Lucky Mistake

by NamelesslyNightlock



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Embarrassment, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Humor, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 23:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18679087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: It was only when Tony opened his car door and noticed the green scarf lying on the passenger seat that he realised… it wasn’t his car.





	Lucky Mistake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KasumiAFKGod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KasumiAFKGod/gifts).



> This is... based on a true story. 
> 
> (Sorry, Kas. I hope I can help fix the embarrassment a little by giving it a happy ending ❤︎ )

 

It was only when Tony opened the car door and noticed the green scarf lying on the passenger seat that he realised something was wrong. He had been just about to climb inside, his head already bent to duck under the low roof when he spotted it, green and elegantly patterned and certainly not something that Tony ever would have worn himself.

“That’s not my scarf,” he said dumbly.

“No,” a smooth voice said from behind him. “It is mine.”

Tony frowned, and he almost asked why and _how_ the stranger had managed to leave his scarf in Tony’s car, but as he turned to do so, he caught sight of the car that had been behind him– the car parked directly beside the one that Tony had mistaken for his own.

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Well, shit _._

The car that Tony had just been about to get into was not his at all– just the same make, same model, same _colour_ , and parked in the spot directly next to Tony’s.

It wasn’t a mistake that Tony should have been able to make– he owned a high-end Audi in light silver, an expensive car that was not often seen in college parking lots. And yet, there it was– and Tony never would have noticed if not for the green scarf. It was just pure chance that the guy had been returning to his car at the same moment as Tony, and had unlocked it in time for Tony to pull open the door.

And to make matters even _worse_ , the guy was gorgeous. He had dark hair, aristocratic features, bright green eyes and a sharp smile that seemed mostly irritated, but morphed slowly into something a bit more amused, almost like he had made a conscious decision not to let this annoy him.

And Tony… didn’t say anything. He didn’t think he could have even if he had wanted to. He was cringing with such intense embarrassment that it was all he could do not to _flush_ as he carefully shut the car door and gingerly stepped past the other man, panicking the whole time– because oh god, but what if the guy thought Tony had been trying to _steal_ it or something? He could feel that intense green gaze on the back of his neck the whole way around to the correct side of his actual car, and he found himself wishing that the ground would rise up and swallow him whole. Then he fumbled a bit with the door and almost cracked his head in his haste to get in, which of course only made everything feel worse.

Thankfully, though, the stranger didn’t say anything either, remaining completely silent through it all– and by the time Tony’s gaze flicked over to begin reversing, the other man was already inside his car.

There was a further moment of awkwardness as they both tried to reverse out at the same time, and Tony’s heart was beating much too fast, his face a bit warm as he pressed on the brake with a little more force than he normally would have, causing the car to jolt. Then, both cars sat there for half a second– and with their matching tinted windows, it was impossible to make any kind of gesture. But it wasn’t long before the other Audi started to move again, pulling out smoothly and then turning toward the exit of the carpark.

Still fighting down a blush, Tony waited a few minutes before pulling out of his space– thankful that by the time he had done so, the other car was gone.

— ✻ —

You know when you have an embarrassing moment, and it sticks with you through the rest of the day, lingering in your mind as if determined to remind you at every moment of just how much of a failure you are?

Yeah, that’s exactly what that moment in the carpark was for Tony. Every time someone looked at him, or gave him a smile– he couldn’t help wonder if they somehow _knew_ , that ludicrous and paranoid thought that dogged after every embarrassing incident. And it wasn’t just the mortification and the blush that lingered either– it was the image of sharp green eyes, that wry smile, and the way that the man’s gaze had followed him with a touch of amusement. Yeah, trust Tony to have… well, that was just the embarrassment talking, right?

It stuck with him all the through the night, and the next morning, he parked his car as far away from where he had the day before as he could, _just in case_. Still though, as he left his final class, he had to take a deep breath before making his way to the carpark. He told himself that this was a college campus– it wasn’t like everyone was coming and going at the same time every day. It was incredibly unlikely that it was ever going to happen again.

So, you know.

It was just his fucking luck that when he made it to where he had parked his car, there was one of the same make, model, and colour parked right next to his.

_Are you actually kidding me?_

It was the same damn car– with the same frustratingly good-looking guy leaning against it. He had his phone held loosely in his hand, as if he had been using it to the pass the time but had looked away at Tony’s approach. He was watching Tony with a smirk, as if he were _taunting_ him into a reaction.

And, well. Tony would be damned if he’d give in to the mortification. For god’s sake, he was _Tony fucking Stark_ , and he wasn’t going to _let_ the ground swallow him whole. He tilted up his head and plastered a cocky smirk over his lips to match the stranger’s tenfold, and when he spoke, it was with an arrogant lilt to his tone.

“Fancy seeing _you_ here again,” he said. “Or, well, not _here_ , since I distinctly remember you parking somewhere over _there_ last time.” He gestured in the general direction, but didn’t glance away.

“It’s a busy carpark,” The man replied with a shrug. “There weren’t any free bays over there today.”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Perhaps.” The man’s smile widened, his amusement clearly growing. And Tony wanted to ask _why_ – had this guy just wanted to make his embarrassment worse?

The amusement suggested yes, but– he wasn’t… actually laughing, and there was nothing of a taunt in his tone. It was more like he was intrigued, perhaps, or _interested_.

The thought gave Tony the boost in confidence that he sorely needed, and– well, asking why was suddenly the last thing on his mind.

“Perhaps?” he asked instead, his voice low. “You wanted to see me again that badly huh, Rock of Ages?”

“My name is Loki.”

“Loki. I’m Tony.”

“Pleasure. And oh, of course. I always find men who aren’t even capable of recognising their own car entirely irresistible.”

Tony couldn’t help but laugh at that, but unfortunately, the moment was broken by a buzz from Loki’s phone.  At first, Loki merely glanced at the screen, as if he were intending to dismiss it– but then his expression tightened.

“My brother,” Loki muttered, tapping something out. “He is asking where I am. I was supposed to have been…” He trailed off, and shook his head slightly. “It does not matter.”

“You need to go,” Tony sighed. Despite himself, he felt _disappointed._

Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but Tony thought that Loki looked like he was hesitating. But then his phone buzzed again, and he pushed away from his car with a sigh, walking around the side and pulling open the door.

“Goodbye, Tony,” Loki said, pausing just before he got into the car. “Perhaps we’ll see each other again.”

He didn’t give Tony the chance to respond, sliding inside and starting the engine. Tony found himself watching Loki pull out of the space and drive away, his eyes tracing the familiar shape of the car as it left the carpark.

His heart was beating too fast again, but… somehow, the mortification had turned into _anticipation_.

— ✻ —

Okay, look.

So maybe Tony didn’t have a class the next day. Maybe it was his day off– but it’s not that weird that he wanted to go back in, right? People did that, students often went into college to use the library and study and whatever, even if they didn’t _need_ to be there. That was totally normal. Tony even brought a _textbook_ with him.

And… yeah, maybe he circled the carpark a few times looking for the _perfect_ place to park, but that was normal too– at least, that was what he managed to tell himself, until he spotted what he had been searching for.

The silver Audi, looking exactly the same as his– and with cars parked either side.

Tony sat there for a moment, his car idle as he glared at the cheap Hyundai and the old Chevy that were parked either side of his car’s double.

…okay. So maybe Tony _did_ have an ulterior motive for going in to college that day.

There was an open spot a few a bays down, which Tony grudgingly stole from a car that had been indicating to go into it already. He rolled his eyes as the other driver honked their horn in annoyance – didn’t they realise Tony was on a mission? – and then all but fell out of his car in his hurry.

He straightened his clothes and cleared his throat, then walked totally _casually_ in the direction of the other silver car– only to find that Loki was not there.

Tony paused by the end of the car, something heavy sitting in his throat. It shouldn’t have been so disappointing– after all, it wasn’t like people just hung out in carparks. Loki was probably in class. But somehow, even without properly thinking about it he’d managed to work up some hope.

And, god, but that was embarrassing. He’d spoken to Loki _twice_ , and one of those times was after practically breaking into the guy’s car. Why on Earth would Loki be hanging around, waiting for him?

He was just about to turn and head back to his car in disgrace when he heard the click of a car door.

Loki was _already_ smirking as he climbed out, and Tony wasn’t sure whether he should take that as a compliment or not.

“Hello Tony,” Loki drawled, his eyes flashing with mirth. “Fancy seeing you… ah, over _here_.”

Tony swallowed, still not quite over the disappointment, and now the nervousness was making him feel a little turned around. “I, uh, I came to study.”

Loki’s gaze panned over Tony’s figure, rested for a moment on his empty hands, and then lifted to meet Tony’s once again with an arched brow. “Yes,” he said. “You look like you have.”

“My textbook is in my car.”

“I am sure it will do a lot of good there.”

There was no point in trying to argue– because Tony knew that _Loki_ knew exactly what Tony had been doing. Especially since, uh, the library was back in the other direction. But… hey, Tony hadn’t been the only one lingering unnecessarily in the carpark, right?

“And I’m sure you were getting a lot of study done sitting in your car,” Tony pointed out, daring to step a little closer.

“I suppose I was waiting to see whether anything interesting turned up,” Loki replied, his gaze following Tony’s movement.

Tony’s breath caught. “And… did it?”

“Undecided,” Loki told him, moving a little closer himself. “I suppose I need more time to know for sure. Though of course, I already know that you have a great taste in cars.”

“More time sounds good,” Tony agreed, trying to keep the groan out of voice. Because yeah, _that_ was the reminder he needed right now.

“Coffee?” Loki asked.

Then, despite the touch of remaining embarrassment, Tony was grinning. “Oh, god yes.”

Loki led the way across the street, away from the cheap campus coffee shops and toward one of the places that actually served something drinkable. It was then that Tony properly realised that maybe Loki hadn’t had a class to go to, either.

And as he felt Loki’s arm brush against his own, Tony was rather glad that he had made that lucky mistake, and had tried to get inside a stranger’s car. Even if it had been one of the most mortifying moments of his life, the outcome was starting to look like it might have been worth it.


End file.
